Inside Look: Adidas adiPure Silo

With the recent migration of most adiPure silo wearers either heading for the Predator LZ or going back to a preferred incarnation of this “heritage” boot, we decided to take a look at the entirety of the current incarnation of the adiPure: The 11Pro. Our findings showed that there is still quality within the current adiPure release, but we can also see why the large number of professional and amateur players have chosen to look for their boot needs elsewhere. The lack of Kangaroo Leather has upset many of the boots followers, but our time within the various tiers was certainly enlightening and we are now going to share our findings with you.

In this article we will take a look at this “classic” boot produced by Adidas from the top to the bottom, letting you know all the differences in this boot from tier to tier. We know that everyone can’t go out and drop big money on the 11Pro, but we want you to be as prepared as possible when you walk into your local boot store or when you are prepared to order online. We hope you have enjoyed the ‘Inside Look’ series so far, and we hope that this offering is as helpful as the others.

This silo has some big and slight differences from tier to tier that are not easily noticeable at first glance. I will not be delving too deeply into some of the differences that you would find in the various colorways that have been release, but I will let you know if there are any major cosmetic changes in between the various tiers. If you would like to read an extensive review on the boot, check that out over here. We will also not be including the 11Pro SL in this tier breakdown, but we can say that it is a very beautiful boot.

AdiPure 11Pro

I will avoid the almost required moaning about the lack of a Kangaroo leather upper and I will keep my statements confined to what actually has been used. The Taurus calf-leather, as Adidas call it, has a nice soft feel out of the box. The leather does seem to be a bit on the thick side, while the little stripe of color seems to have a harsh sandpaper quality. Although the stripe is too small to affect the ball or be considered technology, it does make for an interesting contrast. The midfoot is made entirely of a synthetic that is meant to hug the foot when the laces are tightened. The holes in the back of the boot are entirely useless, and this area is actually the firmest part of the entire boot. That area and the heel are so stiff that they take the longest to break-in.

With past incarnations of adiPure, the comfort level would almost be a given. Although this boot does not have a long break-in period and the comfort is still quite nice, it definitely has fallen of a bit in the transfer from the adiPure IV to the 11Pro. The heel was still stiff after several uses, and the feeling was not that of a boot that you enjoy the tight heel because of security, it was a feeling of a portion of a boot that was a bit stubborn to break-in. I did feel that this soleplate is the quickest of the current “Traxion 2.0″ to break-in, and that has a lot to do with the differences in the next portion. The insole was really neat and has a nice suede feel to it. It definitely helped provide a higher level of comfort than the other tiers, and it is one of the few parts of this boot that still seemed to cling to the “heritage” label that the adiPure used to be able to claim.

This soleplate is the only TRX 2.0 with actual differences from the other boots with this soleplate. The one that makes the difference in comfort is the infinity symbol shape running across the forefoot of the soleplate. It allows the boot to flex a little more than the other 2.0 soleplates and it makes the break-in a little quicker. The other difference is the fact that every stud (minus the central stud) is conical instead of the triangular studs that we find on the other 2.0 configurations. As someone who is a massive fan of conical studs, I was quite excited to try this variation out. Although I would not say that the traction or function is any different than what I experience with the LZ and the adiZero, it still performed admirably.

Although we could spend all day harping on the fact that the biggest negatives involved with this boot are how it differs from the IV, we will try and stick with treating this boot as a standalone model. The 11pro, although a comfortable boot, never had me really enter into that moment of “excitement” as you grab a pair of boots from your bag. Similar to Ben’s thoughts in the review, the boot is a bit drab and boring and Adidas have pushed it into an area where the boot really does not fit into any category. It is too altered to be a heritage boot and it has not changed enough to be any of these new teched out boots. The end result does not have the same joy that a Tiempo Legend or a Puma King does when on the ball, but it was still a boot that I felt had a slight air of quality. I would definitely suggest not buying this boot “sight unseen,” but I imagine that there will still be a decent uptake on this boot, and it will certainly last you a season or two.

AdiPure 11Core

In regards to the material used, Adidas claim that the leather on the 11Core is a full-grain leather. If you have had to deal with full-grain in the past, you will know that it is a quality leather that has decent touch but you would never think that you are using kangaroo leather or any other type of high-quality leather. The upper still felt soft in my hands, and it felt good once I had broken it in. This boot also has a similar set-up around the midfoot that is made to cradle the boot when you tighten the laces, but it is set-up as a big section that is one piece whereas the synthetic midfoot on the 11pro seems to be split into the three Adidas stripes. I felt that it did a good job, but it felt weird when you tried to control passes sometimes given that you would feel a pass controlled closer to your forefoot putting pressure on your foot closer to the heel. It did not hurt my touch, but it just felt odd. It also does not have the little sandpaper strip that is on the 11Pro and it just has a small line of stitching to contrast the main upper color.

This boot had decent comfort, and the break-in time was somewhat shorter than I anticipated. After 3-4 practices, it felt like the leather had broken in and the boot felt better on my foot. I did find that the heel on this boot fit tighter than any of the other boots in this silo and it took a few band-aids strategically placed on my heel to get through the process. The sockliner was not as nice as the 11Pro, but it did a decent job while becoming just like every other insert in the fact that after a week of use I had rubbed off all the branding and names printed on it (does that annoy anyone else?). The comfort is affected by the midfoot cradle a bit because it sometimes cuts off the circulation to your toes if you tie it up tight enough to get it to feel like it is snug enough to break-in. This will fade after you have used it a few times, but it certainly is annoying for the first few uses.

The bottom of this boot is similar to the 11Pro, but identical to the 11Nova. It has a section in the forefoot that circles around the second set of studs meant to help give the soleplate some flexibility. All of the top 3 tiers have miCoach compatibility, and the top three also have the same stud configuration. The conical “2.0″ set-up is just as dependable as with the 11Pro and the 11Nova and it will make sure that you are not slipping and sliding all the time. If you feel the little portion on the bottom that is made to allow for a more flexible soleplate, it has a bit of a dimpled feel and the Adidas symbol has been moved slightly behind it for the 11Core instead of above it like on the 11Pro. I realize no one is going to be looking here, but it is one of the few differences between the two boots.

The biggest negative with the 11Core is that the 11Pro is only about 20-30 dollars more on some sites and the 11Nova is extremely similar but it is 30 dollars cheaper (I will discuss the differences below). This boot really seems to not have a big enough difference to convince you to spring for it, and although I found it to be a decent quality boot, it just makes more sense to either spend a little more or spend a lot less and end up with a boot that is either better or a boot that is marginally different. The lower tiers of AdiPure have always been a type of boot that I suggest for new players or kids, but I seriously doubt that I could justify telling them about this boot. Moral of the story- either go up or down a tier…but, if someone hands you a pair of 11Cores, they will be a decent boot and will also have pretty decent durability.

AdiPure 11Nova

As stated in the negatives for the 11Core, the upper on the 11Nova is made of the same material. The only real difference in the upper is that it does not have the little cradle section attached to the laces in order to help give some midfoot stability. The boot is still half synthetic starting at the three stripes and going backwards, with the forefoot being the full-grain leather. If you want to know how this upper feels, just read the 11Core portion and just take out the midfoot part. I actually enjoyed this boot’s upper a little more than the 11Core because of the weirdness I said came with the cradle on the Core. Once again, I was left wondering how Adidas wants me to see a difference in their different models if they choose to make them so dangerously similar.

I actually found that the comfort on the 11Nova was the best of the bottom 3 tiers. The heel was not as stiff as the 11Core, the material is better than what is on the 11Questra, and the fact that tightening the laces did not put my toes to sleep like I had with the 11Core made this boot actually my second favorite of this silo. Once the leather and synthetic breaks-in, which took a little less time than the 11Core (one whole practice less), the boot was very nice to slip on and wear. The heel-liner and sockliner are the same as the 11Core, but with this boot having less stiffness than the tier above I enjoyed them both much more. For me, Adidas really missed the boat on this one…

The soleplate on the 11Nova is identical to the 11Core. I really do not know what else to tell you, but I actually could not believe that they are so similar and despite hours of testing I wish I could take the boot apart and see if there is a slight (very slight) difference. Just read the 11Core section if you are really curious.

Although this has not been the most enjoyable boot I have worn, the fact that his boot trumps the boot that costs thirty dollars more is enough to prevent it from having too many negatives. This boot looks just like the upper tiers (minus the “NOVA” on the tongue), has the same soleplate as the Core, and the price tag accommodates everyone. If you really must know, the quality does show a bit and the

AdiPure 11Questra

The bottom tier release is the only upper that is a complete synthetic. Although Adidas say that it is a “synthetic leather,” I can assure you that there is no doubting the fact that it is a synthetic once you get it in your hands. It feels decent, but it never really won me over. The cosmetic stuff is all just colored on, with the circular holes that every release has leading to the heel actually only being painted on spots on the 11Questra. The upper should not surprise, but I would never recommend this to anyone that is looking for a quality upper.

The 11Questra has a level of comfort that, like all the other parts of the boot, is typical of a bottom tier release. The heel liner is actually textured (like all the other bottom tier Adidas boots) and the boot itself is padded to the point where it becomes very thick. This will provide decent comfort for a beginner and you will not have to worry too much about blisters once the boot has broken in. For me, the boot took 3 practices and a game before they were completely broken in. I really only spent enough time in them to break them in and then wear them for two games afterwards, and I can say that the comfort is pretty good for a boot of this level. As I will definitely mention in the negatives, it really just makes sense to spend a little extra and snag the 11Nova.

The soleplate is identical to all of the other soleplates on the Adidas bottom tier releases. It has a bladed pattern and it is a good option for players that are just starting or that are young. This is obviously known to Adidas, as they have made this boot predominantly available in youth sizes. It is dependable but is very out of its element if the pitch is even a little bet muddy or wet. After having this be the third boot I have used with this same stud pattern, I definitely would never use this pattern by choice.

This boot is only $15 cheaper than the 11Nova and the quality is obviously that of a bottom tier release. If you have the option, you should definitely go for the upgrade especially live my days since the synthetic leather will never truly become a great option, even after the break-in. This boot made me relive my days in the F5, but with a different upper and a slightly less padded feel. The negatives that you will face should not surprise anyone that springs for the bottom tier, and most people that will experience this boot will experience it in its indoor form. The boot should not scare you away if you are looking for a boot for a young player or if you will only be playing occasionally and not at a very high level, but I definitely would avoid this if you are going to be playing often or at a very high level.

The newest adiPure has certainly seen its fair share of criticism. Whether the statement is that it is no longer a heritage boot or about the move away from kangaroo leather, very few people seem to be able to decide where to fall in regards to the 11Pro. I certainly would not tell anyone to not buy this boot, and I did enjoy my time in the silo…the only thing is that there are boots out there that I believe perform the job a little bit better. The really big plus for the current adiPure series is that the price-tag is typically lower than the price on almost every other boot that is out there…even boots that are similar. Although Adidas still have made a quality release, I really think that it could have been much better.

Make sure you check out the Inside Look articles on the current Adidas silos- the F50 AdiZero, and the Predator Lethal Zones. Also take a look at all the current Nike silos- Tiempo, T90, CTR360, and Mercurial.